Raman Singh

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT RAMAN SINGH - PAGE 5

NEW DELHI: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said an unfavourable agreement at the ongoing WTO meet in Bali could "seriously impair" implementation of Food Security Act in the country, as he vouched his support for the "non-negotiable" stand taken by India. Singh, who wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today, said a number of public welfare schemes being run in his state like Public Distribution System ( PDS ) will also be jeopardised if any negotiations are allowed in this case.

NEW DELHI: Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh has pitched for a 'no swap for hostages' policy, saying that no Maoist should be released even if the hostage is a chief minister. "My own view is that Maoists should not be released in exchange for hostages...not even if the chief minister is kidnapped," Singh, who is in the national capital to attend the chief ministers' meet on NCTC to be held on Saturday, told reporters. According to reports, Singh has already conveyed to the Chhattisgarh governor that no swap deal should be brokered if he is taken hostage by Maoists.

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today said opposition Congress lacked the confidence to face the elections which was evident from the frequent reshuffling of its Lok Sabha candidates in the state. "...Don't know how long this interchange will continue but this clearly shows lack of self confidence (in Congress)," Singh told reporters, referring to renomination of Congress candidate Chhaya Verma from Raipur Lok Sabha seat after being dropped earlier. Congress had replaced Verma with MLA and veteran leader Satyanarayan Sharma but renominated her as Lok Sabha nominee last night, apparently considering the caste equation in Raipur seat.

RAJNANDGAON: He has been on the road for the past 33 days, campaigning tirelessly to ensure a hat-trick poll win, but all the dirt, grime and dust of Chhattisgarh hasn't made Raman Singh look any less benign. He smiles warmly when asked about the prospects of him assuming a larger national role next year, but adds, "It is too early to talk about it. " The chief minister contends that his focus, at the moment, is his home turf where the rival Congress is battling to pin his arm onto the table in one of the most familiar combat sport in Indian politics: populism.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh has rubbished the Centre's claims that it did not go in for competitive bidding while allocating coal blocks due to opposition from the BJP-ruled states. In an interview to Our Political Bureau, Singh said his government had agreed to competitive bidding in 2005, provided the norms contained safeguards for the state's fuel requirements. He also pointed out that, unlike in the case of other minerals, the central government has exclusive rights over coal, making it solely responsible for the alleged misallocations.

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader LK Advani was evasive in giving credit to his party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for the party's victories in the recently-concluded round of assembly elections. "It is a contribution of all party members, particularly chief ministers," Advani was quoted by a news agency as telling reporters in the Parliament House complex, when asked about Modi's role in the assembly polls. Immediately after the poll results, BJP president Rajnath Singh had said that Modi was a factor in BJP notching up three wins.

RAIPUR: The steel plant of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district is likely to become operational by next year. Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed hope that there was a strong possibility that production at the plant might start by the next year, an official said here today. The issue was discussed during a meeting between Singh and Union Minister of State for Steel, Mining and Labour Vishnudeo Sai here yesterday, the official added.

NEW DELHI: The home ministry has decided to send over 2,000 para-military men belonging Nagaland's Indian Reserve Battalions to fight Maoists in Bastar, the worst Maoist-hit zone. A senior home ministry official said his ministry has written to the Nagaland government to spare two of its Indian Reserve Battalions (IRB) for being deployed in Bastar. This comes after Home Minister Rajnath Singh was convinced by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh that that Naga battallion, which comes with a reputation of being a tough and no-nonsense force for jungle warfare, would be able to deliver the goods in Bastar which is the epicentre of the Naxal movement.

RAIPUR; Chhattisgarh government has been selected for the prestigious National e-Governance Award (GOLD) 2014-15 for innovative use of geographic information technology. State's 'Geographic Information System' project, implemented through its IT agency Chhattisgarh Infotech and Biotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) has bagged the National e- Governance Award (GOLD), Principal Secretary, Information Technology Department, Aman Kumar Singh said today. The award will be given under the category 'Innovative use of GIS Technology in e-Governance' at the 18th National Conference on e-Governance in Gandhinagar on January 30, he added.